Beacon recovery system

ABSTRACT

A beacon recovery system for a floatable hull type ocean device, such as a torpedo, wherein the system includes a cylindrical housing which has a top opening. The housing is capable of being mounted in the ocean device with the top opening flush with the exterior surface of the hull of the device, and the housing has a port for flooding the device with ambient ocean water. A piston casing is slidably mounted in the cylindrical housing and sealed thereto for sealing the port from the ocean water. Beacon means are mounted in the piston casing and capable of transmitting beacon signals from the top portion of the piston casing, and means are mounted in the housing for biasing the piston casing upwardly out of the housing. Latch means are provided for retaining and releasing the piston casing at a first position flush with the hull and a second position partially extended from the hull. Timing means are mounted in the housing for releasing the piston casing from the first position and activating the beacon means and then, after an interval of time, releasing the piston casing from the second position. In this manner, the beacon means is enabled to transmit beacon signals while the piston casing is partially extended and, after the interval of time, the piston casing is enabled for jettisoning so that the ocean device can be flooded through port and sunk.

United States Patent [191 Valihora Oct. 9, 1973 BEACON RECOVERY SYSTEM Stephen M. Valihora, West Covina, Calif.

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC.

22 Filed: Dec. 22, 1972 21 App]. No.: 317,873

[75] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant Examiner-Gregory W. OConnor Attorney-Richard S. Sciascia et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A beacon recovery system for a floatable hull type ocean device, such as a torpedo, wherein the system includes a cylindrical housing which has a top opening. The housing is capable of being mounted in the ocean device with the top opening flush with the exterior surface of the hull of the device, and the housing has a port for flooding the device with ambient ocean water. A piston casing is slidably mounted in the cylindrical housing and sealed thereto for sealing the port from the ocean water. Beacon means are mounted in the piston casing and capable of transmitting beacon signals from thv top portion of the piston casing, and means are mounted in the housing for biasing the piston casing upwardly out of the housing. Latch means are provided for retaining and releasing the piston casing at a first position flush with the hull and a second position partially extended from the hull. Timing means are mounted in the housing for releasing the piston casing from the first position and activating the beacon means and then, after an interval of time, releasing the piston casing from thv second position. In this manner, the beacon means is enabled to transmit beacon signals while the piston casing is partially extended and, after the interval ow time, thv pisto5 casing is enabled for jettisoning so that the ocean device can be flooded through port and sunk.

PATENTEB [1H 9 I973 SHEET 10F 2 BEACON RECOVERY SYSTEM STATEMENT OF GOVERMENT INTEREST The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therfor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The Navy has had difficulty in locating exercise torpedoes after they have made their runs. After an exercise torpedo has been expended it rises to the surface of the water and floats until it can be picked up by a surface vessel. In the past, these torpedoes have been painted with colors which contrast with the sea and marker dyes have been disseminated. However visual detection of the painted torpedoes or dyes from surface vessels has always been difficult and many exercise torpedoes have been lost.

There has been a long standing need for a simple and compact device which can be utilized with an exercise torpedo to indicate its location. It is important that the beacon apparatus be out of the way when the torpedo is operational. Further, the torpedo must be enabled for sinking after a period of time so that it will not present a navigational hazard.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION The present invention includes a cylindrical housing which has a top opening and is capable of being mounted in a floatable hull type ocean device, such as a torpedo, with the top opening of the housing flush with the exterior of the hull. The housing has a port for flooding the device with ambient water, and a piston casing is slidably mounted in the cylindrical housing and sealed thereto for sealing the port from the ocean water. Beacon means are provided in the piston casing and are capable of transmitting beacon signals from the top portion of the piston casing. Means are provided in the housing for biasing the piston casing upwardly out of the housing, and latch means are provided for retaining and releasing the piston casing at a first position which is flush with the hull and at a second position which is partially extended from the hull. Timing means are mounted in the housing for releasing the piston casing from the first position and activating the beacon means and then, after an interval of time, releasing the piston casing from the second position. In this manner, the beacon means is enabled to transmit beacon signals while the piston casing is partially extended and, after the interval of time, the piston casing is enabled for jettisoning so that the ocean device can be flooded through the port and sunk. By a particular arrangement of the components'the beacon recovery system is made extremely compact and does not in any way interfere with the operation of the ocean device.

STATEMENT OF THE OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned problems associated with prior art beacon recovery systems.

Another object is to provide a beacon recovery system for a floatable hull type ocean device wherein the system is extremely compact and will not interfere with the operation of the ocean device.

A further object is to provide a beacon recovery system which is extremely compact, provides maximum detection opportunity in an ocean'environment, and will enable sinking of the mother device after a period of time.

Other objects, advantages, and novel featuresof the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

STATEMENT OF THE FIGURES FIGS. 1 through 6 illustrate a sequence of events of the beaconrecovery system on an exercise torpedo.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the exercise torpedo and beacon recovery system with the system in a closed flush position.

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7 except the beacon recovery system is in an extended position for transmitting signals.

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 7 except a part of the beacon recovery system has been jettisoned sothat the exercise torpedo can be flooded and sunk.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like or similar parts throughout the several views there is illustrated in FIG. 7 a beacon recovery system 10 for a floatable hull type ocean device, such as a torpedo l2. Expendable weights 13, which are deployed to obtain positive buoyancy, may be provided for the torpedo as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The beacon recovery system includes a cylindrical housing 14 which has a top opening 16 and which may be mounted in the torpedo 12 with the top opening 16 being flush with the exterior surface of the torpedo hull. The bottom of the housing 14 may rest upon a battery 17 which in turn is restrained within an annular support 18. At about the middle of the housing l4'there may be located a plurality of ports 19 for flooding the torpedo with ambient ocean water, which function will be described in more detail hereinafter. A piston casing 20 may be slidably mounted in the cylindrical housing 14 and may be sealed thereto by O-rings 22 and 24 for sealing the ports 19 from the ocean environment.

Beacon means are mounted in the piston casing 20 for transmitting signals from a top portion of the piston casing. The beacon means may include the top portion of the piston casing having an annular exterior groove 26 with an annular strobe light 28 recessed therein. Strobe light circuitry 30 may be located within the piston casing 20 just below the strobe light 28. The beacon means may further include a transmitter 32 which is mounted within the piston casing just below the strobe light circuitry 30. The piston casing 20 may include a cap 34 and within the cap there may be disposed a transmitter antenna 36. The transmitter antenna 36 may be connected to the transmitter 32 by a wire (not shown) extending centrally through the strobe light circuitry 30.

Means, such as a compression coil spring 38, are located in the housing 14 below the piston casing 20 for biasing the piston casing upwardly out of the housing 14. This spring 38 may be supported at its bottom by an annular ledge 40 and at its top it may bear directly against the bottom of the piston casing 20.

Latch means, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, may be provided within the housing for retaining and releasing the piston casing 20 at a first position (see FIG. 7) which is flush with the torpedo hull, and at a second position (see FIG. 8) which is partially extended from the torpedo hull. Timing circuit means 42, which are connected to the battery 17, may be mounted within a cylindrical container which is in turn mounted within the coil spring 38. The timing circuit means 42 may be operable with the latch means and beacon means for releasing the piston casing 20 from the first position and simultaneously activating the beacon means through a wire coil 43, and then, after an interval of time, releasing the piston casing 20 from the second position. In this manner, the beacon means is enabled to transmit beacon signals while the piston casing 20 is partially extended (see FIG. 8) and, after the interval of time, the piston casing is enabled for jettisoning so that the ocean device can be flooded through the ports 19 and consequently sunk. If desired, the timing means 42 may operate the strobe light 28 and transmitter 32 simultaneously through wire 43 and, after the battery has been drained somewhat, may operate the strobe light 28 alone (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The wire coil 43 may also serve as a lanyard for retaining the piston 20 after it is jettisoned from the housing 14.

It should be noted that proper sealing is effected in the flush position (see FIG. 7) by the O-ring 22 above the strobe light 28, and in the extended position (see FIG. 8) by the O-ring 24 which is above the ports 19 in the extended position.

The latch means, which were referred hereinabove, may include a piston rod 44 which is connected to the bottom of the piston casing 20 and which extends axially through the cylindrical container 42 of the timing circuit. The piston rod 44 may be provided with a latch head 46 at its bottom end. Pin means 48 may be slidably mounted on a cross plate 50 within the housing and may be operated by a solenoid 51 for engaging the head 46 to retain the piston casing 20 in the first position and disengage the head to release the piston casing from the first position. The cylindrical timing circuit container 42 may have an axial passageway 52 for permitting upward movement of the latch head 46 and may terminate at 54 for engaging the latch head and retaining the piston casing 20 in the second position (see FIG. 8). Explosive bolt means 56 may be provided for connecting the piston rod 44 to the piston casing 20 and may be responsive to the timing circuit means 42 for breaking connection of the rod 44 to the piston casing so that the piston casing 20 will be jettisoned from the housing 14 by the coil spring 38 (see FIG. 9).

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION The operation of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6. FIG. 1 shows an exercise torpedo in a run condition. After the torpedo is expended, weights 13 are normally jettisoned to make the torpedo buoyant so that it floats to the surface of the water, as illustrated in FIG. 2. While floating, the torpedo normally has a very small freeboard so that sea water periodically splashes over the exposed top portion of the torpedo. After the torpedo surfaces the timing circuit 42 operates the solenoid 51 to retract the pin 48, thereby releasing the latch head 46 and the piston casing 20. The piston casing 20 is then forced upwardly by the spring 38 until the latch head 46 engages the top 54 of the passageway 52. The piston casing 20 is now in the extended position, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 8. In this pisition the timing circuit means 42 also energizes the strobe light 28 and the transmitter 32 so that they simultaneously transmit visual and radio signals. After a period of time, when the battery 18 has lost a predetermined amount of power, the timing circuit 42 may terminate energization to the transmitter 32 and continue energization of the strobe light 28 for a predetermined period of time. After this predetermined period of time has lapsed the timing circuit may energize the explosive bolt 56 which causes the piston rod 44 to be severed from the piston casing 20. The compression spring 38 then ejects the piston casing 20 completely from the housing 14 which allows sea water to drop into the housing and enter the interior of the torpedo 12 through the ports 19. The ejection of the piston casing 20 is illustrated in FIG. 5. A sufficient length of wire 43 is coiled to permit the piston casing to fall free to the side of the torpedo. After the torpedo is sufficiently filled with sea water it becomes negatively buoyant and sinks as illustrated in FIG. 6.

It should be noted that the beacon recovery system 10 is made extremely compact by locating the strobe light circuitry 30 and the transmitter 32 within the piston casing 20, and by locating the timing circuitry 42 within the coil spring 38. This compact system enables three modes of operation as illustrated in FIG. 7, 8 and 9. In FIG. 7 the recovery system 10 is flush with the exterior hull of the torpedo l2 and is completely out of the way while the torpedo is making its run. In FIG. 8 the system is operational for transmitting beacon signals, and in FIG. 9 the system is ejected for flooding and sinking the torpedo.

Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

What is claimed is:

1. A beacon recovery system for a floatable hull type ocean device comprising:

a cylindrical housing having a top opening, said housing being capable of being mounted in the device with the top opening flush with the exterior surface of the hull;

said housing having a port for flooding the device with ambient ocean water;

a piston casing slidably mounted in the cylindrical housing and sealed thereto for sealing said port from the ocean water;

a beacon means mounted in the piston casing for transmitting signals from a top portion of the piston casing;

means mounted in the housing for biasing the piston casing upwardly out of the housing;

latch means for retaining and releasing the piston casing at a first position flush with the hull and at a second position partially extended from the hull;

timing means mounted in the housing for releasing the piston casing from the first position and activating the beacon means, and then, after an interval of time, releasing the piston casing from the second position;

whereby the beacon means is enabled to transmit beacon signals while the piston casing is partially extended and, after the interval of time, the piston casing is enabled for jettisoning so that the ocean device can be flooded through the port and sunk. 2. A system as calimed in claim 1 wherein the beacon means includes:

a top portion of the piston casing having an annular exterior groove; and an annular strobe light recessed within said groove. 3. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the beacon means includes:

a transmitter mounted in the piston casing; and an antenna connected to the transmitter and extending upwardly therefrom to the top of the piston casing. 4. A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the beacon means further includes:

a top portion of the piston casing having an annular exterior groove; and an annular strobe light recessed within said groove. 5. A system as claimed in claim 4 including: means annularly sealing the piston casing to the housing above and below the strobe light; and said port being located below the bottom annular sealing means when the piston casing is in its extended position. 6. A system as claimed in claim 1 including: the biasing means being a compression coil spring located in the housing below the piston casing; and a cylindrical container disposed within the coil spring and containing and timing means. 7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the latch means includes:

a piston rod connected to the bottom of the piston casing and extending axially through the cylindrical container;

said piston rod having a latch head at its bottom end;

pin means slidably mounted in the housing for engaging the head to retain the piston casing in said first position and disengaging the head to release the piston casing from the first position;

said cylindrical container having means for engaging the latch head and retaining the piston casing at said second position;

explosive bolt means connecting the piston rod to the piston casing and responsive to the timing means for breaking connection of the rod to the piston casing so that the piston casing is jettisoned from the housing by the coil spring.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 including:

a cylindrical battery mounted in the housing below the coil spring.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 including:

a top portion of the piston casing having an annular exterior groove; and

an annular strobe light recessed within said groove;

a transmitter mounted in the piston casing; and

an antenna connected to the transmitter and extending upwardlytherefrom to the top of the piston casing.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 including:

means annularly sealing the piston casing to the housing above and below the strobe light; and

said port be located below the bottom annular sealing means when the piston casing is in its extended position. 

1. A beacon recovery system for a floatable hull type ocean device comprising: a cylindrical housing having a top opening, said housing being capable of being mounted in the device with the top opening flush with the exterior surface of the hull; said housing having a port for flooding the device with ambient ocean water; a piston casing slidably mounted in the cylindrical housing and sealed thereto for sealing said port from the ocean water; a beacon means mounted in the piston casing for transmitting signals from a top portion of the piston casing; means mounted in the housing for biasing the piston casing upwardly out of the housing; latch means for retaining and releasing the piston casing at a first position flush with the hull and at a second position partially extended from the hull; timing means mounted in the housing for releasing the piston casing from the first position and activating the beacon means, and then, after an interval of time, releasing the piston casing from the second position; whereby the beacon means is enabled to transmit beacon signals while the piston casing is partially extended and, after the interval of time, the piston casing is enabled for jettisoning so that the ocean device can be flooded through the port and sunk.
 2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the beacon means includes: a top portion of the piston casing having an annular exterior groove; and an annular strobe light recessed within said groove.
 3. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the beacon means includes: a transmitter mounted in the piston casing; and an antenna connected to the transmitter and extending upwardly therefrom to the top of the piston casing.
 4. A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the beacon means further includes: a top portion of the piston casing having an annular exterior groove; and an annular strobe light recessed within said groove.
 5. A system as claimed in claim 4 including: means annularly sealing the piston casing to the housing above and below the strobe light; and said port being located below the bottom annular sealing means when the pistOn casing is in its extended position.
 6. A system as claimed in claim 1 including: the biasing means being a compression coil spring located in the housing below the piston casing; and a cylindrical container disposed within the coil spring and containing said timing means.
 7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the latch means includes: a piston rod connected to the bottom of the piston casing and extending axially through the cylindrical container; said piston rod having a latch head at its bottom end; pin means slidably mounted in the housing for engaging the head to retain the piston casing in said first position and disengaging the head to release the piston casing from the first position; said cylindrical container having means for engaging the latch head and retaining the piston casing at said second position; explosive bolt means connecting the piston rod to the piston casing and responsive to the timing means for breaking connection of the rod to the piston casing so that the piston casing is jettisoned from the housing by the coil spring.
 8. A system as claimed in claim 7 including: a cylindrical battery mounted in the housing below the coil spring.
 9. A system as claimed in claim 8 including: a top portion of the piston casing having an annular exterior groove; and an annular strobe light recessed within said groove; a transmitter mounted in the piston casing; and an antenna connected to the transmitter and extending upwardly therefrom to the top of the piston casing.
 10. A system as claimed in claim 9 including: means annularly sealing the piston casing to the housing above and below the strobe light; and said port be located below the bottom annular sealing means when the piston casing is in its extended position. 